Second gentleman Doug Emhoff on Friday met with young students who recently arrived from Israel and are taking shelter in the U.S., the White House said.
An official said the students spoke with Mr. Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, about “their harrowing experience being in Israel during the Hamas terrorist attacks.”
President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have visited Israel to express solidarity with the Middle East ally after Palestinian militants in Hamas raided Israeli towns on Oct. 7.
Mr. Emhoff is in a unique role, however, as the first Jewish spouse of a vice president. Even before the attacks in Israel, he made combating antisemitism a key agenda item in his prominent role.
He met with the Israeli students Friday during a visit to the Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School in Washington.
Besides the recent arrivals, Mr. Emhoff met with roughly 80 first and second graders in a music room and then a group of eighth graders and staff.
“Just know that I have your back, and the president and the vice president have your back, too. And we’re always going to be there for you, I promise,” he told the younger students.
Mr. Emhoff told the older group that he wanted to “show solidarity” with the Jewish students after Hamas raids that killed more than 1,000 people, including 30 Americans, in Israel.
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks. My emotions are very raw,” he said. “You’ve seen things that you shouldn’t have to see. The horror, the violence and the terror.”
One student said he wished he could do something, but that he felt powerless.
The more you can get behind friends, family and teachers, Mr. Emhoff said, “that’s actually helping.”
“It’s OK to feel this way,” he said. “This is normal. It’s traumatic.”
The younger group of students, being in music class, did Mr. Emhoff a favor by singing “Happy Birthday” for Ms. Harris, who turned 59 on Friday.
Mr. Emhoff’s staff taped it.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “m probably going to use this instead of a card.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.